Luke 8:54

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Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Dear
Single Ladies – From a Newlywed

Dearest
Sisters,

I
wrote to some of you a little while ago – three and a half weeks
after my wedding day! Now, a month and a half into married life, my
feelings are the same – or perhaps even more intensified! Yes, I'm
very in love! But that's not the big thing I wanted to share with
you. I actually wanted to say –

BEING
SINGLE IS AWESOME!

I
love being married – seriously, don't get me wrong! But just as
seriously, my hubby and I keep planning things and then thinking,
'You know what? We need more good Christian singles to help us
fulfill this plan!'

We
actually really need you. I love being a woman and thinking about
homemaking and babies and all that stuff, but honestly, God is still
so much more exciting than anything to do with marriage. I
wish I had used my single time ever more effectively – and this is
me talking – a motivated young woman married to a highly flexible,
godly, pull-out-all-stops-to-get-it-done kind of guy. Sure, the
world and the church needs married believers. But oh boy, we need
you singles too! Please, dear single ladies, don't be distracted
from our great calling by the idea of getting married. It's awesome!
But bombers weren't the only aircraft to fight a war. We need you
free-flying Spitfires as well.

So
single ladies – please. Help us. Motivate us. Challenge us.
Make sure we don't sink into lovey-dovey hermitage with our
beloveds, or get distracted from the Greates Love by the love we
have. Ask us questions – there really is a king of mind-gift you
received in marriage, and we'd love to share our stories for your
benefit! Keep us on our toes. Pray for us. Work with us!

And
Christ will return. We will all be together. Matrimony will be but
a memory, but love will be real and together we will rejoice in
unending bliss, praising our Father in Heaven!

Saturday, June 18, 2016

David
ran his fingers down the golden strands. Not so long ago he played
this very same melody under a starry sky, alone in a wilderness. But
now he played for the King.

He
looked up at the monarch and felt his heart sink. Saul sat with an
evil expression furrowed into his face. Peace could not penetrate
this man's soul.

David
looked back at the floor and concentrated. God had used King Saul.
Saul had made a kingdom out of a nation, raised armies and fought
many battles. More importantly, King Saul was the Lord's anointed.
No matter if Saul no longer trusted him. He would honor the King.

Saul
was hounded by an evil spirit. It caused him to be afraid. The
longer he watched David play, the more the anxiety built. The Lord
was with David. And Saul knew it had departed from him. Somehow
David's melody seemed to chant the very words the women sang with
their tabrets, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten
thousands.”

Instead of releasing tension, the music seemed to
attack him. Anger throbbed through his whole being. It was unfair
that David was both given the spirit from the Lord and his kingdom.
David had already been anointed with oil by Samuel. The prophet that
no longer would fellowship with him. Jonathan, his own son, had knit
his heart to this young man, even in the knowledge that David would
take Jonathan's rightful place. With a surge of just indignation
Saul stood to his feet and threw his javelin at the minstrel, David.

At
that moment David had a choice.

God
wanted to make a King out of David. But instead of handing him the
Kingdom, He crushed David. And He used a man to do it: King Saul.
Saul was undoubtedly mad, even haunted by an evil spirit. He threw
spears and claimed the right to do so. And yet, he was the Lord's
anointed.

David
knew this. When Saul threw his spear, David had a choice.

To
stay, in risk of being killed.

To
throw the spear back.

To
flee

We
also have “Sauls” in our life. Kings, God has put in our life.
Some of these men have hurt us. We are given the same choices David
was. We might have the right and ability to throw the spear back.
No-one would have blamed David.

Except
God. God allowed Saul to mistreat David. And He used it to mold
David into a man after His own heart. God will do the same in our
lives. He will use the Sauls in our life to crush the Saul in us!

David
accepted it. He didn't bad-mouth Saul. David allowed God to change
him. Being hunted will change us. Being wounded will scar us.

We
can have pure motives and a righteous stand and still be crushed.
God sometimes uses pure and righteous men to do it. Sometimes he
uses mad men. Either way, we have a choice.

David
tried to stay. But more javelins were thrown. Self prosperity is
not conceit. Self defense is not pride. David fled. And yet David
left alone. He didn't take a band of men with him. He was willing
to go by himself. This solitude and hounding, the lies, deceit, and
maliciousness crafted David into a man that is now known as the
world's greatest comforter. David could sing before, but now his
Psalms are echoed by thousands in every generation.

People
will misunderstand you. Joab did. Why wouldn't David kill the King
when he had the chance? The Kingdom believed Saul and had no way of
hearing “David's side”. The kingdom misunderstood David during a
time where it should have seem him not only an innocent man, but
their future king.

Friends,
dear friends, will be parted from you. Friends are often made
because of what you hold in common. But sometimes, in these kind of
trials, our friendships will be tested in the areas where we can't be
in common. Jonathan's heart was knit to David's. And yet they could
no longer fellowship and sing in the palace as they once had. They
wept. Grief is natural. But Jonathan also allowed David to leave,
and "strengthened his hand in God.” (1 Samuel 23:16).

If we are
Jonathans we must remember to let go of our Davids. Our friendships
don't have to change when Kings throw spears. We can still be
friends. But allow David to go in peace. If we are Davids we must
remember how hard it is for the Jonathans that have staid behind. We
too must learn to let go. David never spoke ill of Jonathan's
father. David did cry “What have I done? What is mine
iniquity...?” But David did not tell Jonathan to come away. David
did not berate King Saul to Jonathan. Neither expected to be
sympathized with as a victim. Neither depended on the other as their
savior. Pray for your friend. Do not defend your character to them.
But do not feel guilty for fleeing. Do not feel guilty for being
Saul's son. Jonathan fought a whole garrison of Philistines without
David. God placed you there on purpose.

David
refused to disrespect Saul. God knew Israel didn't need another
powerful king, but a broken and humbled man. Good men can do evil
things. Who are we to determine if our king is a David or a Saul?
To Urriah, David seemed to play Saul. The people in your life today,
the ones who hurt you, malign you, and throw spears, might be Davids.
They might be men after God's own heart.

Is
it our responsibility to go to war against our king? Not likely.
Will we have to flee? Possibly. Will we become “David's” –
people after God's own heart? Only though much breaking and
tribulation.

To
whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave anything,
to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of
Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:10

Satan
would have us stay in an unforgiving position. It is his device to
keep us weak. And why? So he can either attack us or render us
useless.

This
is not a crafty ploy, though countless Christians have fallen on
swords of unforgiveness. Satan doesn't hold us captive. We have
sentenced ourselves and freedom is our choice. Obviously there are
times it is humanly impossible to forgive, but this is why Paul
forgave in the person of Christ.

Forgiveness
doesn't look like sympathy. It doesn't mean we must put ourselves
continually in a defenseless vulnerable place. David hid in caves.
He did not continue to place himself before the king and his
javelins. Forgiveness doesn't look like trust.

But
forgiveness is unwilling to keep an account of wrong-doing.
Forgiveness will pray for those who hurt him. Forgiveness is
willing; forgiveness is open minded towards reconciliation;
forgiveness understands Satan's devices. A forgiving heart is
unwilling to gossip. Forgiveness is strength. Forgiveness is
freeing.

Christian,
we once determined to follow Christ, though no one else followed. No
turning back. Though friends forsake us. We started this journey
counting the cost. When it is required of us, will we give up? This
is a race. The first half-mile was hard. The second half was
exciting. The third seems impossible. It's how races go. Don't
give up brothers and sisters. Satan would sift us, but ultimately we
are given a choice.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The
word “helpmeet” does not imply weakness. It implies that men
have a need and women have a unique ability.

God
created women to be a mans' helper; not because we are inferior but
because we were designed to perfectly meet man's need. This is
exciting, not demeaning! We are not opposites. We can co-exist in
godly charity. We were created to! Viewing men as another species
is ungodly and founded on a wicked mindset.

Yet,
we are different. Which is
godly and necessary. To blur these lines is also sinful.

The
world hates masculinity and men who dominate, conquer, lead and
protect. And yet, this partly why they were created. (Genesis
1:28). When we cringe at the word “dominate” we wince at their
very purpose. We encourage the attitude that men should be ashamed
of what their Creator mandated. Are we offended at the thought of
men being conquerors? If we could follow that thought down to the
root, we would find this ideology comes from an evil source.
(feminism post).

The
world teaches men to shirk manhood and encourages us to be repulsed
by it. The world propagates the idea we women don't need men and are
better off without them. Women are roused into a feminist mob of
men-haters. While men are being shamed or lulled into passivity.

We
women, whether married of not, mustn't be fooled. Ladies, our men
are being ambushed by the enemy in their masculinity. We aren't
standing on neutral ground on this one. We are either fighting
against the enemy or we are on the enemy's side.

How
can we practically encourage our men? I want to hear from you, but
here are some of my ideas I hope to faithfully implement.

Embracing
femininity. By being a modest, feminine, godly woman of God, I know
it automatically inspires men to be pure, chivalrous men.

Embracing
our purpose. We women were made of man for man. To co-rule, be
fruitful, multiply, take dominion. We were meant to be united. It
is not weak to think highly of men and desire to serve by their
side. For goodness sake! We were created from their side, why not
serve next to their side? Men need us and we need men. We were
designed that way. Married women have an obvious ministry to their
man. But we all are given fathers and brothers in Christ that we
can serve and minister and encourage.

What
does this look like practically? It might mean praying or fasting
for them. Writing an encouraging note. Supporting their decisions.
Allowing them to treat us like ladies. Treating them selflessly.
Studying and contributing to our brother's interests. Offering to
help in their projects. Packing their lunch. Speaking highly of
them. Being hospitable. Staying up to date with current events.
(We can be interesting, intellectual and well-rounded in
conversational topics! There is only one thing more irritating than
a bunch of girls who only know how to whisper, giggle, and talk of
“girl topics”, ie: themselves: Grown women who only know how to
gossip, cackle, and talk of birth experiences. Okay... I'm off my
soap box...you get the point.) Accompanying them in evangelism.
Cheering them on. Letting them know you respect or support them.
Taking a rebuke in the right attitude. Seeking their counsel. For
married couples that are friends, we can babysit children, or clean
their homes. The list is almost endless.

Godly
men do not expect women to rubber stamp their every decision just
because they are men. Real men do not demand support. Submission is
not coerced. We are responsible in our role as women to honor our
men, submit to our husband, and to act charitably and femininely.
But we are not meant to be manipulated or forced into subjection;
verbally or physically. We are meant to be Pricillia's, Jaels' and
Abigails', NOT Bethsehbas.

This
being said, there is a lack of courageous feminine women of God who
are willing to take off Satan's blinders and fight. Fight next to
their men. Encourage their men. Support their men. And graciously
submit and serve and co-labor. We can be these kind of women. We
can stand by our men and love them in all charity. They need us.

"The test for the saint is not common sense, but 'is this what Jesus stood for?' 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel.' If you dare to stand for Jesus Christ and His presentation of things in certain crises, men will separate you from their company, treat you with unutterable contempt. 'Blessed are ye', said Jesus, 'when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake'. (Luke 6:22) we have to express the love of God in the midst of these things."